5G-MOBIX: the revolution in Connected and Automated Mobility has began!

The long awaited European project 5G-MOBIX has already been officially launched.

This project is a comprehensive 5G Action Plan for Europe that brings together a strong commitment from dozens of institutions and a set of bold initiatives that will revolutionize connectivity in the old continent.

The project was launched in Brussels on 27 November and the Center for Computer Graphics (CCG) was present at this official kick-off as a partner of this European Union (EU) project.

Group photo of the 5G-MOBIX partners in the official launch of the project, with João Moutinho and Carlos Silva, Development Coordinators of the UMC and PIU applied research domains.

5G-MOBIX: objective

This new project aims to ensure that the EU can use 5G connectivity as a strategic advantage to lead the digital transformation and in particular in the area of Connected and Automated Mobility.

5G-MOBIX will define deployment scenarios, identify and respond to standardization and spectrum gaps, and understand the critical scenarios that require the advanced connectivity provided by 5G.

Expected results

This great European project will revolutionize connectivity and mobility as we know it.

By enabling mobile telecommunications speeds 1000 times faster than 4G, coupled with decreasing latency and increased reliability, in addition to consuming much less power, the possibilities offered by 5G telecommunication are enormous and ensure that it will become a key part of the infrastructure society in the years to come.

The implementation of 5G connectivity infrastructures along major transport routes is essential for the development of connected and automated driving/mobility solutions in Europe.

The gradual acceptance of these solutions will reduce the number of road installations, road congestion and harmful emissions, and will also have social implications, such as ensuring inclusive mobility for the elderly and people with disabilities, while improving the connection of isolated regions.

With 5G technologies, various facets of autonomous mobility, such as cooperative overtaking, merging of road lanes, truck parking operations, valet parking, urban driving, detection of road users and remote control of vehicles will be improved by updating HD, media and entertainment maps.

Application

The 5G-MOBIX will offer the mobility industry the opportunity to examine the implications of 5G and its role in the future of autonomous driving by testing cross-border corridors across Europe, China and Korea.

The coordinated launch of 5G in all EU Member States will run until the end of 2020, and rapid deployment of infrastructures will occur by 2025 to ensure complete urban coverage and uninterrupted 5G coverage along key transport (roads and railways).

With this project the Perception, Interaction, and Usability department will have the opportunity to become a pioneer in researching the impact that 5G technology will have on its users. It will be the main promoter of the project for the human factors area, being the leader of the task where the European studies of acceptance/acceptability of the technology and use cases empowered by 5G will take place. Finally, the PIU will also contribute to studies of the social and economic impact of adopting 5G technologies in the road context.

The Urban and Mobile Computing department will be responsible for the technical coordination of the Portuguese partners of the cross-border corridor Porto-Vigo and will collaborate in the design, planning and execution of use cases using 5G communication. With this relevant project, which will be supported by researchers from the University of Minho, CCG strategically positions itself in research in advanced communication systems, such as 5G, in the context of the use of connected, cooperative and automated mobility (CCAM). The possibilities that this technology brings to mobile and urban computing make this project extremely attractive to the action of this department.